Automatic spark advancing and retarding means for distributors



Nov. 29, 1.949 2,489,775

E. F. HAUBERT AUTOMATIC SPARK ADVANCING A RETARDING mums FOR IBUT 5Filed Ap 1948 INVENTOR.

EUGENE F. HAUBERT ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 29, 1949 AUTOMATIC SPARKADVANCING AND RE- TARDING MEANS FOR DISTRIBUTORS Eugene F. Hanbert,Detroit, Mich. Application April 14, 1948, Serial No. 20,975

5 Claims. (Cl. 200-31) The invention relates-to automatic sparkadvancing and retarding means for distributors used in connection withmulti-cylinder internal combustion engines, and the instant invention isan improvement in a particular type of construction heretofore used forthis purpose. The said construction comprises essentially an annularplate located within the housing of the distributor and surrounding therotary shaft. On this plate is mounted the circuit opening and closingswitch which is arranged in operative relation to a cam on said shaft.There is also provided means for rotatably adjusting said platealternatively in opposite directions thereby advancing or retarding thecam relative to the switch operated thereby. The annular plate ismounted within the housing by providing the latter with an annulargroove in its inner face forming a ball race and by mounting on theplate a plurality of lugs at circumferentially distributed points, whichlugs have grooved raceways in their outer surfaces between which and theraceway in the housing are placed balls. Thus in operation when theannular plate is rotatably adjusted, the balls will roll a shortdistance in the raceways thereby forming an anti-friction bearing andsupport for said plate. It has been found, however, that such movementwill in time wear the raceway in the housing, which wear is augmented byinertial shocks to which the mechanism is subjected during use. This isdetrimental to the operation of the mechanism, and there is no way ofcuring the defect other than by replacing the entire housing.

It is the object of the instant invention to overcome this defect and bymeans which is also capable of application to a worn structure torecondition the same. To this end the invention consists in theconstruction as hereinafter set forth.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the construction with the cover removed;

Fig. 2 is a section on line 2-2, Fig. 3;

Fig. 3 is a vertical. cross-section on line 3-3., Hg. 1:

Fig. 4 is a section on line 4-4, Fig. 1; and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing the roller and resilient bearingplates-disengaged from each other.

A is a cylindrical housing for the distributor. B is the rotary shaftand C is the cam mounted upon the shaft. D is an annular plate withinthe housing A surrounding the shaft and located in a plane adjacent tothe cam. The plate D has mounted thereon a circuit opening and closingswitch E, which is in operative relation to the cam C. This switchcomprises an oscillatory arm E mounted on a pivot E and havin at itsfree end a contact E in registration with the stationary contact E andintermediate its ends an insulator lug E for bearing against the cambeing-yieldably pressed thereagainst by a spring E. All of these partsare mounted on a plate E which is adjustably secured to the annularplate D so as to permit of timing the operation of the switch by thecam. The annular plate D is usually mounted within the housing A by themeans above described,

- which includes a grooved raceway A in the housing A and balls engagingsaid raceway and also grooved lugs on said plate. As such constructionis unsatisfactory, I have replaced it by the following.

In place of the grooved lugs on the annular plate D, I have mounted onsaid plate a plurality of rollers F which are journaled on headed pinsG. The rollers are convex in peripheral cross-section and are adapted toengage grooves H in resilient thin plates H mounted on the" housin A. Inmounting the plates H, I make use of a feature of construction of themounting previously employed. Thus the housing having the annulargrooved raceway A therein is further provided with axially extendingentrance slots A to permit of engaging the balls with said raceway whilethey are also in engagement with the grooved lugs on the plate. Thereare three of these entrance slots A which are equally spaced from eachother around the housing A. There are also three equispaced rollersmounted on the plate D and, therefore, the resilient plates H may beanchored to the housing by portions engaging said entrance slots A-.More in detail the plates H are die-fashioned to form the grooves Htherein, which latter extend in an arc concentric with the axis of theshaft B. At their inner and outer ends these plates have segmental angleflanges H and H for fitting against the inner face of the housing A, andthe flange H has a projecting lug H for fitting in the entrance slot A.

When the parts are assembled, the plates H may 4 be engaged with therollers F before the annular plate D is placed within the housin A sothat when said annular plate is moved axially within the housing, thelugs H will be simultaneously moved into the slots A. When thuspositioned the plates H are held against displacement in any directionand the depth of the flanges H 'and H is such as to tension the platesso as to resiliently press the same against the rollers F. Thus theannular plate D is mounted in resilient bearings within the housing Awhich will cushion the inertial shocks while at the same time permittingfree movement of the rollers Fin the grooves H.

It is obvious that with the construction as just described, the grooveplates H will not become deformed as is the case with the annularraceways A in the housing A. This is for the reason that said plates arealways resiliently pressed against the rollers thereby avoiding anypounding action on the latter. Furthermore, the wear in the plate by themovement of the rollers is negligible. If, however, there should be anywear the worn plate can at any time be replaced .by a new one.

' The automatic means for rotatably adjusting the annular plate toadvance or retard the spark forms no part of the instant invention.However,

I have shown in the drawings acasing I mounted on the casing A andadapted to be connected to the intake manifold of the engine. Adiaphragm 1' within this casing is subjected to variable manifoldpressure and this diaphragm is connected by a link J with a pivot J onthe plate D. Said plate D will, therefore, be oscillated by varyingmanifold pressures and will correspondingly advance or retard the spark.As the distributor construction is not a part of my inven tion, it isunnecessary to illustrate the same, but I have shown a condenser K whichis mounted on the plate D and is suitably electrically connected to theswitch E.

What I claim as my invention is.

1. The combination with a distributor housing,

a rotary shaft extending centrally therein, an annular plate withinsaid-housing surrounding said shaft, a cam on said shaft, and a circuitclosing and opening switch mounted on said plate in operative relationto said cam: of means for mount-' ing said plate within said housing andoperable during rotation of said shaft to absorb vibratory shock fromthe opening and closing of said switch, including a plurality ofanti-friction elements carried by said plate, and a plate between eachanti-friction element and said housing, said lastmentioned plate havinga portion detachably 1 anchored to said housing and having a resilientportion spaced from said housing and forming a flexible raceway for saidanti-friction element.

2. The combination with a distributor housing, a rotary shaft extendingcentrally therein, an annular plate within said housing surrounding saidshaft, a cam on said shaft, and a circuit closing and opening switchmounted on said plate in operative relation to said cam; of means formounting said plate within said housing and operable- 4 closing andopening switch mounted on said plate in operative relation to said cam;of means for mounting said plate within said housing and oparable duringrotation of said shaft to absorb vibPa'tory shock from the opening andclosing of said switch, comprising a plurality of rollers directlymounted on said plate, and a plate between each roller and said housing,said lastmentioned plate having spaced flanges bearing against thehousing and having a resilient portion spaced from said housing andforming a raceway for said roller, one of said flanges having anoperable during rotation of said shaft to absorb vibratory shock fromthe opening and closing of said switch, comprising a plurality ofrollers directly mounted on said plate, and a plate between each rollerand said housing, said last-mentioned plate having spaced angle flangesat opposite edges thereof directly bearing against said housing and alsohaving an intermediate grooved flexible portion spaced from said housingand forming a raceway for said roller, one of said flanges having adetent thereon engaging an axially extending groove in said housingduring the assembly of the parts to form an anchor for said plate.

5. The combination with a distributor housing, a rotary shaft extendingcentrally therein, an annular plate within said housing surrounding saidshaft, a cam on said shaft, and a circuit closing and opening switchmounted on said plate in operative relation to said cam; of means formounting said annular plate and operable during rotation of said shaftto absorb vibratory shock from the opening and closing of said switch,comprising a plurality of pins projecting from said plate, a rollersleeve on each pin, and a plate between each roller and said housing,said lastmentioned plate having spaced angle flanges directly bearing onsaid housing, a resilient portion intermediate said flanges spaced fromsaid housing and forming a raceway for said roller, and a detent on oneof said flanges engaging an axially extending groove in said housingduring the assembly of the parts to form an anchor for said ll resilientportion.

EUGENE F. HAUBERT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name V Date 2,303,464 Hove Dec. 1, 19422,444,149 Aldridge June 29, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date554,608 Great Britain July 12, 1943

